Bennie Thompson for Congress – “Lift”

Congressman Bennie Thompson faced a challenging primary in 2006 and hired TBW to deliver a clear, focused message to his constituents: no one stands up for you like Bennie Thompson. At TBW, we believe that photography can make or break a mail piece since many voters scan the photographs and the headlines, and this piece is a perfect example. Congressman Thompson is a highly-respected, very formidable leader in Congress, and generally not prone to whimsy. But at the end of a long shoot day, his daughter arrived with his grandson to take him to dinner, and his reaction is captured on the cover of this piece.

Because we send both a director and a photographer to every shoot, we're able to be on the lookout for more than just the shots in the photo shoot memo – we're always looking for the great, unexpected image that can make a campaign. We were able to capture this priceless moment between Congressman Thompson and his grandson, and the warmth and message it conveyed became a hallmark of the campaign. Congressman Thompson went on to defeat his primary and general opponents that year and has since continued to rise in House leadership.